Every time you get on the internet, you collect loads of Cookies, which fill up your computer after a while, and need to be deleted on a regular basis.(As well as temp. files and Temp. Internet files, and downloaded files.) They allow easier access to site's plus they give the person who puts them there, information from your computer, I am told. To disable cookies--not allow them to be stored on your computer. (Per AOL) Click START on 96 or 08 Select SETTINGS Click CONTROL PANELS Click INTERNET icon. The Internet Properties window appears Click SECURITY tab from within the Internet properties window Scroll down until you see the COOKIES icon. Here you may choose fom the following Settings: Choice #1 DISABLE ALL COOKIE USE (Specify that you do not want to allow cookies to be sent to your computer by Internet sites and that existing cookies on your computer cannot be read by Internet sites. Choice #2 PROMPT BEFORE ACCEPTING COOKIES Specifies whether you want Internet Explorer to warn you if you are about to receive a cookie from a web site. You can then choose. Choice #3 ENABLE ACCEPT COOKIES Specifies that you want to allow cookies to be sent to your computer by Internet sites and that existing cookies on your computer can be read by Internet sites. Once you have selected a COOKIE preference, click on button labeled OK. You will be prompted by a confirmation about the new settings "Are you sre--- Click YES. I just spent over three hours deleting the cookies from my computer. If there is an easier way, would someone direct me to it??? In looking over mne, most of the sites I had never visited but once. Gerry Hill-Albany, Ga.

Actually, cookies can be a good thing. They are the little files that permit you to log on to the same site without having to manually sign into it every time you go there. Generally, most sites that have secure financial transactions won't send cookies for that so you do have to sign in every time. But, I know that when I go to the Internet Movie Database and click on "My Movies," the site "knows" who I am and it directs me straight to the specialized content I have saved on their site for my use. But, if you REALLY want to remove these mostly innocuous little files, there's an easier way to do it. This may be different in Windows 95, NT or 2000, but in Windows 98 Second Edition (which is what I have), just browse to c:\windows\temporary internet files. All the cookies are listed there as cookie files. Just single click on one file to select it, then press CNTRL+A to select them all. Once all the files are selected, just press the delete button on your keyboard or click on the delete button in the tool bar of the window, now they're all gone. But, be careful since these are 'temporary' files, once deleted they cannot be restored from the Recycle Bin. They are gone for good. And, cookies will NOT "fill up your hard drive." Most cookies are only about 1 KB in size, so it would take millions or even billions of them to fill up a typical hard drive. They are very small files that tend to make your surfing easier and more pleasant. I tried the "prompt" option once... I got so many annoying dialog boxes asking me what to do about the cookies that I disabled them. But, then, there were too many sites I couldn't even get into with cookies disabled that I went back to having cookies enabled. If you are concerned about viruses, get Norton Anti-virus and update the virus definitions on a regular basis. If you are concerned about the security of the information on your computer, buy a home Firewall software package. This will prevent anyone from getting into your computer and accessing personal or financial information without authorization, but this is really only a concern with "online all the time" services such as ISDN, DSL or cable modems that require a fixed IP address. As I understand it, cookies are nothing to be worried about, most are very small and harmless and they only tell the web site you've been to that site before, nothing more. Cookies do NOT collect personal or financial information about you. Alicia -----Original Message----- From: Gerry Z Hill [mailto:gerryinga@juno.com] Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2000 11:42 AM To: JENKINS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Cookies Every time you get on the internet, you collect loads of Cookies, which fill up your computer after a while, and need to be deleted on a regular basis.(As well as temp. files and Temp. Internet files, and downloaded files.) They allow easier access to site's plus they give the person who puts them there, information from your computer, I am told. To disable cookies--not allow them to be stored on your computer. (Per AOL) Click START on 96 or 08 Select SETTINGS Click CONTROL PANELS Click INTERNET icon. The Internet Properties window appears Click SECURITY tab from within the Internet properties window Scroll down until you see the COOKIES icon. Here you may choose fom the following Settings: Choice #1 DISABLE ALL COOKIE USE (Specify that you do not want to allow cookies to be sent to your computer by Internet sites and that existing cookies on your computer cannot be read by Internet sites. Choice #2 PROMPT BEFORE ACCEPTING COOKIES Specifies whether you want Internet Explorer to warn you if you are about to receive a cookie from a web site. You can then choose. Choice #3 ENABLE ACCEPT COOKIES Specifies that you want to allow cookies to be sent to your computer by Internet sites and that existing cookies on your computer can be read by Internet sites. Once you have selected a COOKIE preference, click on button labeled OK. You will be prompted by a confirmation about the new settings "Are you sre--- Click YES. I just spent over three hours deleting the cookies from my computer. If there is an easier way, would someone direct me to it??? In looking over mne, most of the sites I had never visited but once. Gerry Hill-Albany, Ga.